Revolving show case



O. H. KEAN.

REVOLVING snow CASE.

(No Model.)

Patented May 19,1891.

umus PETERS co, mom-L Tm WASHINGTQN n c UNITED STATES i PATENT OFFICE.

OTIS H. KEAN, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

REVOLVING SHOW-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,377, dated May 19,1891.

Application filed August 6, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTIS H. KEAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in=Revolving Show-Cases; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to show-cases, and more particularly to thatclass thereof known as revolving show-cases and among the objects inView are to provide a revolving show-case which is adapted to permit ofthe ready insertion and removal of articles to be displayed therein; toprovide a revolvingshowcase wherein the greatest amount of space isutilized for the articles to be displayed; to provide a revolvingshow-case wherein the racks for supporting the articles are yieldinglysupported within the case and are adapted to always keep the boxescontaining the articles against the sides of the case, and thus adaptthe articles to be more closely examined and prevent said boxes fromfalling out of place when the case is revolved; and with these objectsin view the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a revolving show-caseconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection through the show-case. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view ofone of the supporting-racks.

In constructing my show-case I may make the same of any suitable shape,and although I have shown in the drawings the case as having atriangular shape it will be understood that I do not wish to be limitedto such shape.

A indicates the show-case, the sides B of which are pivoted at one edgeto the frame of the case, as shown,whereby said sides may be readilyswung open to permit of access to the interior of the case. The endsections a of the case, which may be of metal or glass or may have theradiating metallic arms a are each provided with a journal I), which hasa Serial No. 361,187. (No modelJ bearing in suitable supports C, whichmay be secured to a table or counter.

To prevent any unsteadiness or retrograde movement of the case when thesame is being revolved, I may employ any suitable looking device-as, forinstance, a ratchetwheel 0, mounted on one of the journals, with theteeth of which ratchet-wheel engages a pawl d pivoted to one of thesupports 0. The ratchet-wheel may be made of hard rubber to obviate anynoise that would be occasioned during the revolution of the case weresaid ratchet-wheel made of metal.

For supporting the articles within the case so that the same maybereadily inserted and withdrawn from the case, that said articles may bedisplayed to the best advantage and firmly held in position during theturning of the case, and that the greatest amount of space may beutilized for the display of articles, I employ the construction andarrangement of supporting-racks shown more plainly in Fig. 3 of thedrawings.

D indicates the supporting-racks, each composed of the wire rods cl (Zd, the rods d d being secured by means of solder or otherwise to thelongitudinal sections a of the frame of the case. I however prefer toremovably connect the rods d d to said frameas, for instance, by meansot'the hooks d formed on the ends of the rods, said hooks entering eyes61 carried by the frame. The rear ends of the rods (6 d pass througheyes d formed in the ends of the rods d, and are enlarged to preventsaid rods (Z (Z withdrawing through the same.

The number of racks employed and the distance that the same are arrangedapart within the case may vary. I however prefer to arrange the racks inpairs, the racks in each pair being rather close together, whereby eachpair of racks will be designed -to carry or support one boX containingthe articles to be exhibited, and whereby a narrow box may be supportedwith as much facility and firmness as a wide box.

In order that the boxes when in position upon the racks may be firmlyheld and prevented from falling out of place when the case is beingrevolved, it is my intention to always maintain said boxes with a slightpressure against the inner face of the sides of the case,

and thus also adapt the articles to be more closely inspected by thebuyer. For these purposes I make the racks yielding by employing lightcoiled springs e, which encircle the rods (1 (Z and are secured at theirends to the front ends of rods (1 d and the rods (1', respectively. Bythis means a box may be placed upon the racks, its lower end restingupon the lower rods cl and its bottom resting upon the rods (1', andafter the side of the case has been closed the springs will force thebox forward against the inner face of the side of the case and hold thesame with sufficient pressure to prevent the box from sliding or fallingout of place when the case is turned.

If at any time it becomes desirable to arrange the boxes too deep uponthe racks, this can be readily done, the springs yielding suffieientlyto permit of this, and when the uppermost box has become empty and beenremoved the springs will at once force the lowermost box forward againstthe side of the case, as before explained. This feature of having theracks yielding to permit of the arrangement of two or more rows of boxesresting one upon another I consider of great importance, for in thismanner I can utilize the greatest possible amount of space within thecase for the display of articles.

here pivoted or suspended trays are employed, as has been heretoforeproposed, it is impossible to exhibit the articles with as much facilityor to arrange them within the case as conveniently as with myarrangement and construction of racks, and, furthermore, my racks occupybut little room within the case, which cannot be said of the suspendedtrays.

\Vhen a show-case is employed of considerable height, it may be desiredto arrange two rows of boxes running longitudinally of the case, one rowin the upper part of the case and the other row in the lower partthereof. For this arrangement the frame of the case should be providedwith a section running longitudinally of the case and midway of theheight thereof, so as to adapt two series of racks to be arranged andproperly secured within the case.

Another advantage connected with my construction of show-case lies inthe fact that all the sides of the case are pivoted and can be readilyswung open to expose the articles at any point in the case. In someshow-cases it has been heretofore proposed to employ an oscillating lidor cover section which may be swung back and forth within the case toexpose or cover an opening in one side of the case. Such aconstructionwill, however, tend to increase the cost of the case, and, furthermore,only one side or portion of the case being open, it will be obvious thatit will be very inconvenient to reach those articles which may bearranged in that portion of the interiorofthe case farthest from theopenin Other advantages inherent to my construction of show-case will beapparent from the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

1. The combination, with the revolving show-case having all of its sidespivoted or hinged at one edge to the frame of the case, of a series ofsupporting-racks secured to the said frame, one portion or section ofeach of said racks being yieldingly supported and adapted to have arectilinear movement toward and from the sides of the case, asdescribed, for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with the revolving show-case having all of its sidespivoted or hinged at one edge to the frame of the case, of a series ofsupporting-racks D, consisting of the rods (Z cl, secured at one end tothe frame of the case, the rods (1, carried by the rods d d,'and thecoiled springs encircling the rods (1 d and secured at their ends to thelatter, and the rods (1, all said parts being arranged as described, forthe purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OTIS ll. KEAN.

Witnesses:

W. E. BOULTER, WM. BAGGER.

